Species-Specific Effects on Ecosystem Functioning Can Be Altered by Interspecific Interactions

Biological assemblages are constantly undergoing change, with species being introduced, extirpated and experiencing shifts in their densities. Theory and experimentation suggest that the impacts of such change on ecosystem functioning should be predictable based on the biological traits of the species involved. However, interspecific interactions could alter how species affect functioning, with the strength and sign of interactions potentially depending on environmental context (e.g. homogenous vs. heterogeneous conditions) and the function considered. Here, we assessed how concurrent changes to the densities of two common marine benthic invertebrates, Corophium volutator and Hediste diversicolor, affected the ecological functions of organic matter consumption and benthic-pelagic nutrient flux. Complementary experiments were conducted within homogenous laboratory microcosms and naturally heterogeneous field plots. When the densities of the species were increased within microcosms, interspecific interactions enhanced effects on organic matter consumption and reduced effects on nutrient flux. Trait-based predictions of how each species would affect functioning were only consistently supported when the density of the other species was low. In field plots, increasing the density of either species had a positive effect on organic matter consumption (with no significant interspecific interactions) but no effect on nutrient flux. Our results indicate that species-specific effects on ecosystem functioning can be altered by interspecific interactions, which can be either facilitative (positive) or antagonistic (negative) depending on the function considered. The impacts of biodiversity change may therefore not be predictable based solely on the biological traits of the species involved. Possible explanations for why interactions were detected in microcosms but not in the field are discussed

COVID-19 and the uncertain future of HRM: Furlough, job retention and reform

The article argues that job retention should be a central aim and practice of human resource management (HRM). Set against the global COVID-19 crisis, theoretical insights are drawn from strategic HRM planning and the economics of ‘labour hoarding’ to consider the potential benefits of workforce furloughing. Furlough has been supported in the UK by the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, which represents a novel, but temporary, state-led shift from the UK's market-orientated restructuring regime. We argue that the withdrawal of state-financed furlough may mean a quick return in UK firms to the management of redundancy. Yet, if the crisis is to generate any benefit it must create the conditions for a more collaborative HRM that delivers for workers as well as business, with job retention as a core priority. While change in this direction will mean confronting deep-rooted challenges—such as job security, good work and worker voice—such change remains vital in creating better and healthier workplaces

Enhancing the Functionality of a Microscale Bioreactor System as an Industrial Process Development Tool for Mammalian Perfusion Culture

Without a scale-down model for perfusion, high resource demand makes cell line screening or process development challenging; therefore potentially successful cell lines or perfusion processes are unrealised and their ability untapped. We present here the re-functioning of a high capacity microscale system that is typically employed in fed-batch process development to allow perfusion operation utilising in situ gravity settling and automated sampling. In this low resource setting, which involved routine perturbations in mixing, pH and dissolved oxygen concentrations, the specific productivity and the maximum cell concentration were higher than 3.0x106 mg/cell/day and 7x107 cells/ml, respectively, across replicate microscale perfusion runs conducted at one vessel volume exchange per day. A comparative analysis was conducted at bench scale with vessels operated in perfusion mode utilising a cell retention device. Neither specific productivity nor product quality indicated by product aggregation [6%] was significantly different across scales 19 days post inoculation, thus demonstrating this setup to be a suitable and reliable platform for evaluating the performance of cell lines and the effect of process parameters relevant to perfusion mode of culturing

Explaining ecological shifts: the roles of temperature and primary production in the long-term dynamics of benthic faunal composition

Predicting the ecological consequences of environmental change requires that we can identify the drivers of long‐term ecological variation. Biological assemblages can exhibit abrupt deviations from temporal trends, potentially resulting in irreversible shifts in species composition over short periods of time. Such dynamics are hypothesised to occur as gradual forcing eventually causes biological thresholds to be crossed, but could also be explained by biota simply tracking abrupt changes to their environment. Here, we modelled temporal variation in a North Sea benthic faunal assemblage over a 40‐year period (1972–2012) to test for changes to temporal trends of biota and determine whether they could be explained by underlying patterns in sea temperature and primary production. These extrinsic factors were postulated to influence community dynamics through their roles in determining and sustaining the metabolic demands of organisms, respectively. A subset of mainly large and long‐lived taxa (those loaded on the first principal component of taxa densities) exhibited two significant changes to their temporal trends, which culminated in a shift in assemblage composition. These changes were explained by an increase in pelagic primary production, and hence detrital food input to the seabed, but were unrelated to variation in sea temperature. A second subset of mainly small and short‐lived taxa (those loaded on the second principal component) did not experience any significant changes to their temporal trends, as enhanced pelagic primary production appeared to mitigate the impact of warming on these organisms. Our results suggest that abrupt ecological shifts can occur as biota track underlying variation in extrinsic factors, in this case primary production. Changes to the structure of ecosystems may therefore be predictable based on environmental change projections.</jats:p

TOP2A and EZH2 Provide Early Detection of an Aggressive Prostate Cancer Subgroup.

Purpose: Current clinical parameters do not stratify indolent from aggressive prostate cancer. Aggressive prostate cancer, defined by the progression from localized disease to metastasis, is responsible for the majority of prostate cancer–associated mortality. Recent gene expression profiling has proven successful in predicting the outcome of prostate cancer patients; however, they have yet to provide targeted therapy approaches that could inhibit a patient\u27s progression to metastatic disease. Experimental Design: We have interrogated a total of seven primary prostate cancer cohorts (n = 1,900), two metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer datasets (n = 293), and one prospective cohort (n = 1,385) to assess the impact of TOP2A and EZH2 expression on prostate cancer cellular program and patient outcomes. We also performed IHC staining for TOP2A and EZH2 in a cohort of primary prostate cancer patients (n = 89) with known outcome. Finally, we explored the therapeutic potential of a combination therapy targeting both TOP2A and EZH2 using novel prostate cancer–derived murine cell lines. Results: We demonstrate by genome-wide analysis of independent primary and metastatic prostate cancer datasets that concurrent TOP2A and EZH2 mRNA and protein upregulation selected for a subgroup of primary and metastatic patients with more aggressive disease and notable overlap of genes involved in mitotic regulation. Importantly, TOP2A and EZH2 in prostate cancer cells act as key driving oncogenes, a fact highlighted by sensitivity to combination-targeted therapy. Conclusions: Overall, our data support further assessment of TOP2A and EZH2 as biomarkers for early identification of patients with increased metastatic potential that may benefit from adjuvant or neoadjuvant targeted therapy approaches. ©2017 AACR

The Ursinus Weekly, April 18, 1955

MSGA election rescheduled for May 9 • Hoberman, Leger Lantern editors • Concert features Music for you • Changes in cast of Spring play • Plans for May Day now in full swing • Winchester announces new editorial and business staff • Spring coronation to be prom theme • Activities calendar to be set up • WSGA, WAA, Y elections Thursday • Editorials: Our paper is your paper • Fraternity row • If you can\u27t, don\u27t • Wherefore a head tax • Frosh dance on April 29 • Lecture notes • Frosh and sophs now on Dean\u27s list • Earth to a man from Mars • Sunisru sweepstakes (Better known as the termpaper derby) • Curtis sweeps annual sports intramurals • Net chances bright as 8 girls return • Lacrosse lessons at Ursinus begin • Schreiner girls capture intramural hoop crown • They wear varsity U\u27s • Jesperson leads tennis team in E-town opener • Ninth inning rally sparks Albright win • Big Schoes sets four year scoring mark • Single by Harris wins first for Bears, 3-2, behind Slotter • Fords trample Bear trackmen by 95-27 • Ursinus Belles begin softball • Dawkins, Fay to lead \u2756 teams • Student-faculty show success; Campus Chest raises $1175 • Summer School July 5, August 26 • Barbara Wagner FTA president • Alumnus wins fellowship • Dr. M. Oppenheimer highlights Temple Medical School • French Club views colored slides of Francehttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1471/thumbnail.jp

Coagulation factor IX gene transfer to non-human primates using engineered AAV3 capsid and hepatic optimized expression cassette

Hepatic gene transfer with adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors shows much promise for the treatment of the X-linked bleeding disorder hemophilia B in multiple clinical trials. In an effort to further innovate this approach and to introduce alternative vector designs with potentially superior features into clinical development, we recently built a vector platform based on AAV serotype 3 because of its superior tropism for human hepatocytes. A vector genome with serotype-matched inverted terminal repeats expressing hyperactive human coagulation factor IX (FIX)-Padua was designed for clinical use that is optimized for translation using hepatocyte-specific codon-usage bias and is depleted of immune stimulatory CpG motifs. Here, this vector genome was packaged into AAV3 (T492V + S663V) capsid for hepatic gene transfer in non-human primates. FIX activity within or near the normal range was obtained at a low vector dose of 5 x 10(11) vector genomes/kg. Pre-existing neutralizing antibodies, however, completely or partially blocked hepatic gene transfer at that dose. No CD8(+) T cell response against capsid was observed. Antibodies against the human FIX transgene product formed at a 10-fold higher vector dose, albeit hepatic gene transfer was remarkably consistent, and sustained FIX activity in the normal range was nonetheless achieved in two of three animals for the 3-month duration of the study. These results support the use of this vector at low vector doses for gene therapy of hemophilia B in humans